Collahuasi Transition Project

Anglo American PLC
22 October 2002


News Release
22 October 2002

             Collahuasi's Ujina-Rosario Transition Project approved

Anglo American plc announces that the Board of Directors of Compania Minera Dona
Ines de Collahuasi has approved the construction of a new grinding circuit at
its Ujina concentrator. This is part of the Ujina to Rosario Transition Project,
which also involves transferring mine production from the Ujina to the Rosario
orebody. Mine development activities are already underway and the construction
of the new grinding circuit and related facilities will start in the fourth
quarter of 2002.

It is forecast that the modified concentrator will start milling ore from
Rosario in June 2004. The project will increase Collahuasi's concentrator
throughput design capacity to 110,000 tonnes per day from 60,000 tonnes per day
and will compensate for the expected decline in ore grade, thereby enabling
Collahuasi to maintain copper production at approximately current levels.

The total capital cost of the transition and concentrator expansion project is
estimated at US$654 million.



For further information:

Anglo American - London

Investor Relations

Nick von Schirnding

Tel: [phone]

Media Relations

Kate Aindow

Tel: [phone]

Anglo American - Johannesburg

Investor Relations

Anne Dunn

Tel: [phone]

Media Relations

Marion Dixon

Tel: [phone]

Notes to Editors:

Collahuasi is a joint venture between Anglo American (44%), Falconbridge (44%)
and a Japanese consortium, lead by Mitsui and Co. Ltd. (12%)

Anglo American plc is one of the world's largest mining and natural resource
groups. With its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates, it is a global
leader in gold, platinum group metals and diamonds, with significant interests
in coal, base and ferrous metals, industrial minerals and forest products. The
group is geographically diverse, with operations in Africa, Europe, South and
North America and Australia. (www.angloamerican.co.uk).


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